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Worn & Wound · Page 25

Italian Indie Gagà Laboratorio Introduces Two New References Worn & Wound
Jun 9, 2025

Italian Indie Gagà Laboratorio Introduces Two New References

We covered the introduction of Gagà Laboratorio back in August of last year, and have remained curious about how this new independent brand with Italian roots would evolve. Their first models, the Labormatic Bauhaus and Labormatic Cinquanta, paired a highly considered case design defined by dramatically flared lugs with a creative timetelling format that riffs heavily on the classic jump hour. Each watch represented the flipside of the same coin: the Bauhaus subtle and minimal, the Cinquanta more light and colorful. The brand’s latest releases are a new pair of Labormatics that follow a similar theme.  First up, the Labormatic Champagne. This watch was conceived as something of a counterpoint to the minimalist design ethos of the Bauhaus model. The Champagne, as the name of the watch implies, is celebratory where the Bauhaus is subdued, trading clean and cold grays for vibrant gold tones, including deeply textured dial base. On this reference, as with the Bauhaus, time is told via a digital hours window at the 12:00 position and an analog minute display.  Gagà Laboratorio has also introduced the Labormatic Azzuro, which can be understood as a complement to last year’s Cinquanta. Both watches are inspired by Italian design from the 1950s, which was a notably colorful period following the tumult of World War II. The pastel blue tones seen here look great with the rich, wine red chosen for the stylized Arabic numerals in the hour and minute tracks. Once again, the hou...

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Bulova s MIL-SHIPS Went from Jun 7, 2025

How Bulova’s MIL-SHIPS Went from Top Secret to Top Shelf

In the world of military-issued watches, some models are legendary. Others are ghost stories-rare prototypes whispered about among collectors, their existence confirmed only through archival fragments or the occasional sighting in the wild. The Bulova MIL-SHIPS-W-2181 falls somewhere between the two, and for the first time in decades, one of the few surviving examples is surfacing in public-on the block at Sotheby’s, no less. A Mission-Critical Beginning To understand why this watch matters, you need to rewind to 1955. Amid Cold War tensions and escalating naval operations, the U.S. Navy sought a robust dive watch for its elite underwater teams-specifically, the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units, the forebears of modern Navy SEALs. The specifications they drafted, known as MIL-SHIPS-W-2181, called for something no commercial watch at the time quite delivered: water resistance beyond 400 feet, excellent night visibility, a highly legible dial, and a locking, unidirectional bezel. The post How Bulova’s MIL-SHIPS Went from Top Secret to Top Shelf appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Marc Maron End’s His Podcast, A Beach Inspired Timex, and Peak Design Expands The Outdoor Line Worn & Wound
Timex Jun 7, 2025

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Marc Maron End’s His Podcast, A Beach Inspired Timex, and Peak Design Expands The Outdoor Line

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. WTF With Marc Maron has announced its end Since the first episode released in September 2009, ‘WTF With Marc Maron’ has grown to become one of the most popular podcasts ever created. Alas, all good things must come to an end as the show has announced its end is coming. During the show’s 15 year run, they’ve released over 1,600 episodes, with an additional 300 bonus for their premium subscribers and racked up over 1.1B downloads and impressions.  While putting out two episodes every week for 16 years is an impressive feat, their guest list is even more impressive, including the likes of Robin Williams,  SNL Creator Lorne Michaels, and even ex-president Barack Obama.On an episode released earlier this week, Maron said “… we’ve decided that we had a great run. Now, basically, it’s time folks…” and “We’ll have our final episode some time this fall”.  While the show’s episodes should remain available through your favorite streaming platforms, you can get more details on the show’s history and upcoming end via this Deadline article. Timex and Noah Are Back At It Again Having produced several very successful models in the past, including a Car...

eBay Finds: A Funky Tissot in Great Condition, a Seiko 5 on a Bracelet, and a Pair of Vintage Zodiacs Worn & Wound
Longines Here we have Jun 6, 2025

eBay Finds: A Funky Tissot in Great Condition, a Seiko 5 on a Bracelet, and a Pair of Vintage Zodiacs

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion Vintage Longines Here we have a beautiful vintage Longines Jamboree. This is a great casual sporty dress watch, well suited for a day on the town or with a suit at a nice dinner. The 35mm steel case looks unpolished with sharp edges, and perfectly preserved original etching on the caseback. Nice slim lugs too. The silver dial looks clean, with slim applied steel markers and nice steel sword hands. No date window to mess with the soothing symmetry. The crown is original and signed with the Longines logo as it should be. The Longines caliber 230 manual wind movement is clean and runs well per the seller. Fantastic watch from a well respected manufacture that you don’t see too often. View auction here Vintage Zodiac Sea Wolf  Next up is a classic and highly sought-after vintage diver, a second generation Zodiac Sea Wolf. This version has the gray acrylic bezel insert, which is in excellent condition, with only one small crack near the 20 minute mark. The steel case (around 35mm if memory serves) is unpolished with nice edges. The original crown is signed with the Zodiac crosshair logo as it should be. The original black dial is superb, with nice lume filled triangle markers at 12, 6 and ...

Seiko Introduces the SPB497, a New Limited Edition in the Presage Collection with an Unglazed Porcelain Dial Worn & Wound
Seiko Introduces Jun 6, 2025

Seiko Introduces the SPB497, a New Limited Edition in the Presage Collection with an Unglazed Porcelain Dial

Last week in this space, I wrote about a crop of new Seiko 5 Sports watches more than a little indebted to the classic SKX line of divers, and there was, perhaps, some concern trolling about the current state of the Seiko brand. In my view, there’s no denying that Seiko’s grip on the enthusiast world has loosened a bit when it comes to watches in this genre. There are just so many options these days at competitive price points, brands that are willing to experiment and take risks, and Seiko is a little left behind making watches that are exactly fine but break little new ground, cost more than they did five years ago, and are missing some key features (screw down crowns, etc.) that a certain type of collector insists upon. So that’s the state of affairs with their entry-level sports watches, but of course that’s only a sliver of what Seiko actually produces. Another tentpole of Seiko enthusiasm (though perhaps a bit less widely celebrated) is their Presage line. Seiko Presage watches tend to be dressier pieces that exist to celebrate traditional Japanese craftsmanship and culture. Over the years, a number of watches in the Presage collection have achieved a level of classic status in the enthusiast world (the various “Cocktail Time” watches immediately come to mind). Among my personal favorites in the Presage collection are watches with dials crafted with urushi lacquer and enamel, and earlier this week Seiko announced a reference representing a first for the b...

[VIDEO] A Closer Look at Ming: Our Favorite Designs and Personal Pieces Worn & Wound
Ming Jun 6, 2025

[VIDEO] A Closer Look at Ming: Our Favorite Designs and Personal Pieces

Ming launched their first watch, the 17.01, back in the summer of 2017. That watch sold out quickly, as did subsequent watches, and over a relatively short span of the time, the brand achieved an almost reverential status among affordable independent and micro-brands. The watches, from the beginning, have been stylish, highly distinctive, and have pushed design boundaries.  Our thoughts on Ming have evolved along with the brand itself. While the 17.01 is still easily recognizable as quintessential Ming, it’s remarkable to consider how much the brand has accomplished since that watch’s debut. Through rigorous roadmapping and experimentation, Ming has evolved into a significant indie brand with an ultra-clear design language. In the brand’s earliest days, it would have been easy to lump them in with other small brands finding their way in a competitive watch landscape. But over time, and particularly with their most recent crop of releases, it’s become clear that their ambition and ingenuity set them apart.  Some examples? Both are discussed in this video, but the use of white emitting lume on the 37.02 Minimalist and the impressive water resistance of the 37.09 are both illustrative of ways in which the brand is willing to invest in finding new ways to make their watches. The creative use of luminescent material has been a hallmark of Ming watches from the very beginning, and they’re rightly proud of figuring out a way to mix lume that truly emits white, somethi...

Zenith Returns to the Shadows with New Defy Revival Diver and Defy Extreme Diver Variants Worn & Wound
Zenith Returns Jun 5, 2025

Zenith Returns to the Shadows with New Defy Revival Diver and Defy Extreme Diver Variants

The return of the dive watch to the Zenith collection has been one of the real highlights for the brand over the last year or so. It’s actually kind of crazy to consider that Zenith went so long without a true diver in their lineup, being that they’ve been one of the foundational pillars on which the whole industry saw so much growth over the last decade. It would be a little like an auto manufacturer refusing to build an SUV of some kind – why not get a piece of this segment of the market that an enormous number of people are interested in? It’s particularly noteworthy, I think, that when Zenith did decide to get back into the diver game, they did it on two fronts: with a tribute to their divers of the past, alongside a forward looking contemporary piece. Griffin Bartsch, across multiple reviews and videos, has done a nice job of breaking down both the Defy Extreme Diver and the Defy Revival Diver, watches that are very much two sides of the same coin. This week, Zenith expands their dive watch portfolio a bit further, iterating on both of these platforms via their “Shadow” series.  The Shadow watches have been enthusiast favorites since their inception. We’ve previously seen both a Chronomaster Revival Shadow as well as a Defy Revival Shadow, both of which strip down the essence of a watch into a chilly, micro-blasted titanium tool. The matte finish and darker tones of the cases are really appealing. They have a way of making a watch that is otherwise virt...

Introducing the Héron Mirabel GMT, an Affordable, Vintage Inspired Dressy Travel Watch Worn & Wound
Patek Philippe   Jun 5, 2025

Introducing the Héron Mirabel GMT, an Affordable, Vintage Inspired Dressy Travel Watch

It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the amount of quirky young watch brands pushing to make their name in the horological world-it seems like we are in the current golden age of microbrands and upstarts. Canadian watchmakers Héron, founded in Montreal in 2021, are among that crowd, and looking to make a name for themselves with vintage-inspired styling that is aimed at collectors with old-school taste. With their latest, the Mirabel GMT, the Québécois brand is channeling both aviation functionality and upscale dressy styling to produce a dual-duty timepiece ala upmarket stalwarts like Longines and Patek Philippe.  The Mirabel GMT sits within a stainless steel “C-shaped” case, and measures in at a sporty 37.5mm in diameter and 43.5mm lug-to-lug. True to Héron’s vintage-look aspirations, the enamel painted sector dial has an art deco flair, and features applied Roman numerals, pilot-style “alpha” hands, and a boxed sapphire crystal with underside anti-reflective coating. Four references are available for the Mirabel GMT, with varying dial shades, Delugs Baranil leather strap options, and case finishes. The “black” option features a black dial with gold details and case, and sits on a black strap, while the “brown” option also features gold accents, but wears a luxurious brown dial. Likewise, the “white” edition features a crisp white dial with blue hands and a dark blue strap, and the “blue” model has a blue dial and the same dark blue s...

Citizen Celebrates 40 Years of the Aqualand, One of the Most Unique Dive Watches Ever Made Worn & Wound
Citizen Celebrates 40 Years Jun 5, 2025

Citizen Celebrates 40 Years of the Aqualand, One of the Most Unique Dive Watches Ever Made

There are lots of dive watches out there – it’s perhaps the most ubiquitous of all the watch genres. Frankly, it’s easy to see why. In addition to being highly specialized for a very specific task, they tend to work incredibly well as casual, everyday watches regardless of what you happen to be doing with them. The reason for this is very much because of the design traits these watches share that make them so highly specialized: ultra clear legibility, robust water proof cases, and a generally nondescript design that allows the watch to be worn easily with a wetsuit and also blend into the fabric of our everyday lives.  But then there are a handful of truly unusual dive watches that give away their specialized nature even at a passing glance. They look less like watches and more like obscure devices or instruments that should only be used by people who really know what they’re doing, have received the necessary training, and perhaps have signed a liability waiver. The Omega Ploprof immediately comes to mind, as does something like the Singer Divetrack – these are watches that play with the form of what we understand a watch to be in the name of functionality. Citizen, for 40 years, has also made a watch that fits neatly into this category: the Aqualand. The name is a bit of an oxymoron, but the watch itself is less confusing. It has always been a uniquely specialized instrument tailored to the specific needs of divers.  This year marks the 40th anniversary of t...

Stowa Updates the Antea Classic KS Worn & Wound
Stowa Jun 4, 2025

Stowa Updates the Antea Classic KS

Bauhaus design, though never really leaving the spotlight, is certainly in a bit of a renaissance these days, with its focus on stylistic simplicity and function appealing to contemporary audiences just as successfully as it did during its heyday a full century ago. German watchmaker Stowa, however, is taking the history and legacy of the style in a more defined direction, with their latest Antea Classic KS in rose gold and anthracite.  According to the brand, they’ve been making Bahaus-style watches in Germany since 1937, and argue that perhaps the State School of Design (the originator of Bauhaus, which existed from 1919 to 1933) was a more direct influence on watchmakers of the 1930s than previously thought. In celebration of that marriage of influential German design and horology, Stowa has been producing a modernized version of its first Bauhaus watch since 2004. The new Antea Classic KS references continue that tightly-wound history, with new touches to appeal to current trends in watchmaking and design.  Since the original 1937 model wore a copper dial in a chrome-plated case, Stowa has reintroduced a version of that color combination with the new references. Both feature a highly-polished 35.5mm (44.6mm lug-to-lug) stainless steel case, which envelops the sunburst dial in either rose gold or anthracite. Temperature-blued steel hands sweep around the dial, pointing to thin and tall white Roman numerals with no indexes between each hour, giving the dial a very cl...

A Taste of the Infinite: Hands-On with the J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series Pure Worn & Wound
Jun 4, 2025

A Taste of the Infinite: Hands-On with the J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series Pure

When Zach Kazan told me the other day that a couple of watches by J.N. Shapiro had arrived at the office, I did a double-take. Not privy to the conversations he had been having regarding an article in progress, finding out that two watches by this revered independent were in the office was an exciting surprise. Although I’ve come across perhaps two in the wild I can recall (one a sample of the Resurgence and the other a custom piece for a collector), they aren’t the type of watches that get sent around very often, being rare and high-end. It turned out, perhaps in an even more exciting turn of events, that these weren’t your ordinary, if such a thing exists, J.N. Shapiros; rather, they were samples of a new line called the Infinity Series Pure. A new duo of watches meant to open, or re-open, the brand to a broader audience of collectors. Though still highly limited in nature, these watches aren’t one-offs or custom pieces. Instead, they are serially produced, albeit in only 18 pieces per color, and feature in-house, engine-turned guilloché dials and handmade, finished precious metal hands. As such, although intended as a more accessible model, the term is relative, and the Infinity Series Pures are priced at $26,000, placing them in an interesting competitive space for independent brands. Back to the point of them being in the office, I couldn’t help but spend time with these watches. And, thus, also form some opinions on them. So, although my time was limited, ...

H. Moser Introduces a Pair of Streamliners as Part of their Partnership with Alpine Motorsports, Including an Ana-Digi Smartwatch Worn & Wound
H. Moser Introduces Jun 3, 2025

H. Moser Introduces a Pair of Streamliners as Part of their Partnership with Alpine Motorsports, Including an Ana-Digi Smartwatch

Just when you thought watches associated with F1 teams were getting stale and predictable, here comes H. Moser with a release that I definitely did not have on my bingo card. There are actually two releases here, both introduced last week as part of the brand’s partnership with the Alpine Motorsports F1 team. Both part of the Streamliner family, one is a skeletonized chronograph (which is cool, but not exactly the most exotic thing in the indie watch world) and the other is…a smart watch. Yes, a Streamliner smart watch from the brand that started their recent rise to prominence by, basically, trolling the most popular wearable ever created. The loose concept here is that this pair of watches consists of a “Drivers Edition” Streamliner as well as a corresponding “Mechanics Edition.” We’ll start with the Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition, a “measuring instrument” designed specifically for an F1 team and the highly specialized work they do to support their drivers. The watch does a nice job of evoking what we’ve come to know as the Moser aesthetic, with a blue lacquer dial for the time at 12:00, surrounded by black when the watch is on standby mode (Moser of course loves a deep and dark black). But that black negative space is actually a screen, and when digital functions are activated the watch effectively transforms into something we simply aren’t used to seeing from high end independent brands.  The Mechanics Edition is powered by a movement made ...

Hands-On: the Trafford Watch Co. Daytripper Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko 9F models but all Jun 3, 2025

Hands-On: the Trafford Watch Co. Daytripper

I have the unfortunate obligation to begin this review with a shocking admission: Zach Kazan was right. Some time ago, during one of my back-to-back travel periods where I jumped through time zones, I had a spirited debate with our Managing Editor. I maintained that I not only enjoyed having a GMT, but needed one to keep my timing straight; while Zach insisted that I was wrong. In the past, a traveller’s GMT had been an invaluable tool in the workplace, keeping me mindful of editors working in other time zones. Yet, Zach argued that all you needed was an independently adjustable hour hand and some basic math skills. If you are working across time zones, do the math. If you are traveling through them, change the hour without messing with minutes and seconds. Immediately upon landing back in New York from a trip to London, I started looking for an Omega Aqua Terra.  During my search, it struck me as odd that this jumping hours complication (without an associated GMT) was not more widely seen, and never really on the more attainable side of things. Sure, you can find it in models from Omega, parts of Citizen’s The Citizen collection, the Ming 17.09, and newer Grand Seiko 9F models; but all of those will set you back a few thousand dollars. That is, until now. As if from some stroke of divine intervention, I received word of a new watch coming from Trafford Watch Co., utilizing a clever movement alteration to achieve this complication at a much more attainable price point...

IWC Debuts the Long Awaited Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert Worn & Wound
IWC Debuts Jun 2, 2025

IWC Debuts the Long Awaited Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert

IWC’s releases this year are proving something that I’ve always felt was true, but lacked hard evidence: if you’re patient, the watch you’ve always wanted will one day appear. Perseverance takes many forms, and there’s no doubt that one of them is telling your IWC sales rep that you’ll actually pass on the Mojave Big Pilot, Perpetual Calendar, and Pilot’s Chronograph, and wait for the simple three hander in a casual, everyday size. Today, IWC announced a watch many in the Worn & Wound office have been attempting to conjure since the very first Mojave watch appeared back in 2019, a limited edition Pilot’s Watch Chronograph measuring in at 44.5mm. The aforementioned perpetual calendar and Big Pilot in the Mojave colorway followed, as did another chronograph in a smaller, 41mm size. But this is the one many enthusiasts, I think, have been waiting for, and it follows a larger trend of predictable (and desirable) iteration within the larger IWC family.  What we have here is relatively simple on its face: the Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert takes the tan ceramic IWC has been using in the Top Gun line over the last six years and puts in the most straightforward IWC pilot watch concept of them all. While it’s not technically a Mark series watch (IWC draws a distinction between the Mark line and their more experimental, ceramic dominated Top Gun pilot’s watches) the form factor and principle here are both similar. The 41mm case measures a com...

Watch Propaganda I’m Not Falling For Worn & Wound
Jun 2, 2025

Watch Propaganda I’m Not Falling For

If you’ve opened Instagram or TikTok in the last few weeks, there’s a very good chance you’ve seen the “Propaganda I’m Not Falling For” trend served up to you in one way or another. The format is relatively straightforward, and involves a creator listing the sacred cows in his or her particular area of expertise that they refuse to buy into.  The watch community, of course, is filled with conventional wisdom, ideas passed from collector to collector, rarely if ever questioned. As I encountered these social media clips over the last week, I couldn’t help but think of the watch world propaganda, as it were, that we all just seem to take at face value.  Here, then, are four principles I think are ripe for questioning. There are a lot more – credit here to Ben’s Watches and Pulse on the Wrist for being first out of the gate among watch industry personalities to participate. Be sure to let us know in the comments what watch related propaganda you refuse to accept.  A Vintage Watch Must Be Unpolished and All Original  Let’s get the most controversial one out of the way first. When I started collecting watches, it was an era when it was still relatively easy and straightforward to buy a nice, honest vintage watch on eBay for not a lot of money. Times have changed. The best examples, watches that are truly unpolished and all original, are harder and harder to find, and eBay is filled with watches that have been passed around and sold by pro dealers and amat...

The Latest Oris Hölstein Edition is a Blacked Out ProPilot with a Glowing Surprise Worn & Wound
Oris Hölstein Edition Jun 2, 2025

The Latest Oris Hölstein Edition is a Blacked Out ProPilot with a Glowing Surprise

For the sixth year in a row, Oris has launched a watch on the anniversary of their founding. The Hölstein Edition watches, which debut each year on June 1, are an opportunity for Oris to celebrate their heritage, release a watch that’s perhaps a little outside the box, and have some fun in the process. Previous Hölstein Editions include an Aquis diver with a bold purple dial, the revival of a classic complication, and, most recently, an unusual and very cool blacked out edition of their classic Divers Sixty-FIve. A throughline through these watches is the appearance of the Oris Bear, and for this year’s Hölstein Edition we get a particularly fun cameo from the brand’s mascot via a fully lumed dial. This year’s watch is a fresh take on the ProPilot, Oris’s contemporary, aviation inspired watch. For this limited edition (as with previous Hölstein Editions, this one is limited to 250 pieces) the stainless steel case has been given an aggressive black DLC treatment. It’s still, of course, unmistakably a ProPilot, with the hallmark fluted bezel and the gently curved 41mm case.  This is much more than a blacked out ProPilot, though. Oris is having a lot of fun with the dial, giving it a full lume treatment that appears white in the daylight and glows green in the dark when the luminescent material is activated. The Arabic numerals, dial text, and hands are all in matte black, which makes the dial easy to read in both well lit situations and, importantly, in the ...

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Blade Show Returns, The Garnet Goblin, and David Lynch’s Legacy Worn & Wound
May 31, 2025

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Blade Show Returns, The Garnet Goblin, and David Lynch’s Legacy

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Gearing up for Blade Show Atlanta Blade Show Atlanta, the world’s largest knife show and a cornerstone event for the EDC community, kicks off next weekend (June 6-8th). With over 900 exhibitors, including both renowned brands and custom makers, the show offers an unrivaled opportunity to explore the latest in EDC knives, tools, and carry accessories. Show attendees can discover cutting-edge designs and educational seminars, making it a hub for innovation and craftsmanship in the industry. In addition, the event also hosts the prestigious Blade Magazine Knife of the Year Awards, celebrating  design, quality, and functionality of blades tools. Beyond its role as a direct to consumer marketplace, Blade Show Atlanta fosters a vibrant community where enthusiasts, collectors, and professionals can connect, share knowledge, and celebrate their passion for quality gear.  You can check out a full list of vendors, show details, and purchase tickets, here. The Garnet Goblin There’s a real “What will they think of next?” quality to reading about the latest releases from Arcanaut. The independent brand, founded in Denmark in 2015, with the first watches appearing (and sel...

Seiko Introduced Four New References to the 5 Sports Series, and Almost No One is Talking About Them Worn & Wound
Seiko Introduced Four New References May 30, 2025

Seiko Introduced Four New References to the 5 Sports Series, and Almost No One is Talking About Them

Seiko, through their Seiko 5 Sports line, recently unveiled a watch that, five or six years ago, probably would have broken the watch internet. The SKX Series is a collection within the Seiko 5 Sports lineup that directly references the SKX line of Seiko divers, which are perhaps the most iconic of all enthusiast focused watches. The SKX Series under the Seiko 5 Sports banner is not new, but this new quartet of divers feels like the most direct callback to the classic SKX007 and SKX009 yet.  When the SKX watches were discontinued, it was the talk of the watch internet. And the (re)introduction of the Seiko 5 Sports line, as a pseudo-replacement, also drove a lot of conversation, much of it dismissive, or yearning for the “old days” of Seiko when the truly affordable SKX watches (real dive watches, we were always reminded) could be purchased easily by any budding collector. These new watches which connect directly to that SKX lineage say a lot about the state of the brand, and their reception to this point, I think, says even more about the community.  Before we get too deep into the meta-commentary of what these watches mean in enthusiast circles, let’s quickly get some basic objective stats out of the way. The new references (the SRPL83, SRPL85, SRPL87 and SRPL89, which feature blue, black, yellow and orange dials, respectively) all measure identically to the Seiko 5 Sports watches which debuted back in 2019. That means cases coming in at 42.5mm in diameter, 13.9m...

Introducing Anemoic: From University Project to Watch Brand Worn & Wound
May 29, 2025

Introducing Anemoic: From University Project to Watch Brand

Watch industry trade shows can be intoxicating if not disorienting as you meander down rows of branded tables, making snap judgments as to where you choose to spend your precious time. It’s possible to go through an entire day under the assumption that you had seen everything, tried it on for a wrist shot, and compiled your shortlist only to find out from an acquaintance that there was one model you missed, hiding in their camera roll. That is a fear that all of us in watch media live with. So, when I overheard the rumblings of a young watch designer hiding an interesting prototype in his pocket during the first session of public hours during British Watchmakers’ Day, I knew I had only a few hours to pull on that thread and seek it out myself. Finally, towards the closing hours of the show, I ran into Magnus Swann. Magnus Swann Like an introductory drug deal oozing with awkwardness, I slunk up to the tall figure to introduce myself, hoping he would supply the goods. With equal parts excitement and nervousness at sharing an early glimpse into his personal vision, Magnus produced a prototype, along with immediate excuses for its appearance, offering detailed points for his lofty goals. What began as a university project was finally starting to take shape. For the first time, it was being seen by a select few of the most scrutinizing watch enthusiasts. I sat there with Magnus’s creation in hand, and immediately signed up to follow his story. It is still the early days, ...

Bell & Ross Introduces the Stealthy New BR-03 Diver Lum Outline Worn & Wound
Bell & Ross Introduces May 29, 2025

Bell & Ross Introduces the Stealthy New BR-03 Diver Lum Outline

Love it or hate it, Bell & Ross is committed to their iconic, oversized, and squared-off designs. But despite what their haters say, they don’t just do squares. Or rather, they layer other shapes over squares sometimes. Confused? Good. Let’s get into it.  The brand’s popular BR-03 Diver platform is home to a healthy handful of references, all of which measure in at 42mm in diameter, and feature the brand’s classic “circle within a square” design that varies in color and material between models. Basically, the iconic Bell & Ross square case remains, with a diver’s bezel laying on top, giving each model a stacked, utilitarian aesthetic. The design is effectively functional and deeply polarizing, as is B&R;’s forte.  Last year, the French brand began updating BR-03 Diver timepieces by introducing optimized changes to the movement and materials, ceramic bezels and inserts, and revised typeface, hands, and strap designs. The latest BR-03 Diver release, the Lum Outline, is perhaps the most emblematic of the line’s emphasis on functionality and capability without sacrificing stylistic panache.  The Lum Outline’s case, bezel, dial, and strap options-one rubber, and the other black synthetic fabric-are all a uniform matte black. Normally, I would say that this is tame or even boring, but the micro-blasted texture of the ceramic gives the watch a more interesting and layered look than a monochrome design usually would. The case is a solid 13.35mm thick, and...

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Worn & Wound
Fortis May 29, 2025

All the Panels of the Windup Watch Fair San Francisco 2025 and More!

The 2025 Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco was one for the books. Thousands of attendees poured into the city’s vibrant Marina District for three days of hands-on horology, exclusive releases, and face time with the creators behind the brands we love. The energy was electric, and the programming only elevated what was already an unforgettable experience. Thanks to our sponsors, this year’s event reached new heights, with panels that brought depth, insight, and real-time connection to the forefront. Here are recordings of the full conversations that helped shape the weekend, plus some videos from our friends at Fortis and Bulova. Introducing the New Fortis Fliegers with the WERK 7 Manufacture Calibre The Fortis Flieger collection connects over 40 years of aviation heritage with the modern era. Redefined in collaboration with the Swiss Air Force, it stands as the most readable tool watch Fortis has ever crafted. This video goes into its new WERK 7 manufacture calibre with 70 hours of power reserve, as explained by Andreas Bentele, Marketing Manager at Fortis. Panel 1 – Making Watches for the Enthusiast vs. the Curious Worn & Wound’s Managing Editor Zach Kazan kicked off the programming with a lively conversation featuring Abingdon Mullin, CEO at Abingdon, Jonathan Ferrer, Designer & Founder at Brew, and Brandon Little, Founder & Designer at Artefkt. The panel explored how brands can speak to both hardcore collectors and casual newcomers-without diluting their voic...

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Citizen s Unite May 28, 2025

California Coast Through Film & Time: A Road Trip with Kat Shoulders, Fujifilm, and Citizen’s Unite with Blue Collection

A few weeks ago, I set out on a road trip along one of my favorite stretches of the world: the California coast. It was more than just a drive down Highway 1 - it was a journey to see the coastline in a new way, through the lenses of two amazing Fujifilm medium format cameras and a special Citizen Promaster that quietly echoed the whole vibe. Right after the Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco, I (and my BFF) hit the road and headed south down Highway 1, taking in some of the dreamiest towns California has to offer. Monterey, Piedras Blancas, Big Sur, Morro Strand, SLO, Pismo Beach, Solvang, Santa Barbara… It’s wild how the vibe shifts even though you’re basically hugging the same coast the whole time. Like, how is this all the same state? This feels like sorcery somehow. But before we go full travel diary, let me talk about the gear. Because yes, this trip had a theme: film & time. The post California Coast Through Film & Time: A Road Trip with Kat Shoulders, Fujifilm, and Citizen’s Unite with Blue Collection appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Ianos Completes their Dive Watch Trilogy: A Conversation with Founder Jacob Hatzidimitriou on the Brand’s Origins and the New Dytis Diver Worn & Wound
May 28, 2025

Ianos Completes their Dive Watch Trilogy: A Conversation with Founder Jacob Hatzidimitriou on the Brand’s Origins and the New Dytis Diver

One of the more interesting trends to crop up in recent years is the rise in ultra specific niche watches. If you’re part of seemingly almost any community or culture, there’s probably a watch just for you. Really into early 80s rally cars? Autodromo has you covered. Do you love Jurassic Park and hand-lacquered dials? Awake has a watch you might want to check out. And if you happen to be of Greek heritage, or just love the country and its culture, Jacob Hatzidimitriou’s watches made under the Ianos banner will be of interest for sure.  Ianos is interesting because in addition to being a design forward independent brand making dive watches (table stakes these days), they are pulling on a very specific aspect of diving history as it relates to Greek culture. Diving, like pizza, cars, and architecture, has distinct characteristics dependent on geography and purpose. Sponge diving has been a pursuit in Greece for literally thousands of years, and the techniques, history, and visual language of this very specific type diving has informed every Ianos watch in some way to this point in the brand’s history (you can read our coverage of previous Ianos releases here and here). “Watches always intrigued me, not just as accessories but as expressions of personality,” Jacob told me in an interview. “Over time, I started to see them for what they really are: miniature, intricate machines that, more than anything, carry significant emotional weight. In an age of fast fashi...

Longines Celebrates 100 Years of Dual Time Zone Watches with the Spirit Zulu Time 1925 Worn & Wound
Longines Celebrates 100 Years May 27, 2025

Longines Celebrates 100 Years of Dual Time Zone Watches with the Spirit Zulu Time 1925

Longines continues to expand their Zulu Time collection with the new Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925. Never one to shy away from an anniversary, the latest version of the Longines travel watch celebrates the 100th anniversary of the brand’s first watch to display dual time zones. These early dual time zone watches featured colorful representations of maritime flags referencing the letter “Z”, a nod to the time at the zero meridian in Greenwich. The “Z” designation ultimately led to pilots referencing “Zulu time” when referring to time at the zero meridian, an important concept when traveling across time zones. The modern renditions of the Zulu Time watches are completely distinct from their historical counterparts in terms of their design and aesthetics, but for Longines their intent seems to be to recreate the adventurous spirit of those watches in a modern package. All of the Zulu Time watches to this point have straddled the line between a clear vintage inspiration and contemporary design tropes, resulting in watches that have a classic everyday appeal.  Last year, I reviewed the Spirit Zulu Time Titanium, which simply by virtue of the material used felt like the most contemporary iteration of the Zulu Time yet. I really enjoyed my time with that watch and felt that Longines really nailed the proportions, with a case just under 40mm that was also not too long from lug to lug. The new 1925 version of the Zulu Time is perhaps best thought of as the inverse o...